Thomas Reynolds' two-hour bike ride to work in Mira Mesa takes him along a stretch of Spring Valley's Jamacha Boulevard that resembles a construction zone.

Concrete barriers line portions of the one-mile stretch, blocking the bicycle lane and forcing Reynolds to ride in traffic lanes. There have been close calls with cars. It's not safe, said Reynolds, a Spring Valley resident.

The barriers were placed years ago in preparation for millions of dollars in upgrades to the road. But the work hasn't been completed.

County officials said a developer building hundreds of homes in the area was supposed to complete the improvements, including widening Jamacha between Sweetwater Springs Boulevard and Omega Street to four lanes. The upgrades are expected to cost about $9 million, said Michael Drake, a spokesman for the county's public-works department.

“The developer has dropped the ball,” Drake said.

Last month, the county sued Pointe Communities of San Diego Inc. in El Cajon Superior Court. The lawsuit says Pointe Communities breached agreements to complete the work and that companies that were supposed to provide bonds didn't follow through, either. The county is seeking damages, though no dollar amount was specified in court filings.

Meanwhile, Drake said the county is taking over the project and could begin work as soon as early next year.

Ric Williams, a representative of the developer, said his company has pushed as hard as it could to get the upgrades done. He said he's trying to work with the county to find a solution that doesn't require the county to take over the project.

“This has not been a picnic for anybody,” Williams said. “It's long overdue, and I understand everybody's frustration.”

Williams cited a list of setbacks as an explanation for the delays, from environmental sensitivities to a broken sewer line under the road that had to be replaced before work could begin. He said a plan to build a freeway in the area was dropped early last year, triggering changes in the plans for Jamacha.

At a Board of Supervisors meeting in August, Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents East County, said she was frustrated at how long the process has taken.

“There's been a promise made, and a promise has been broken,” Jacob said. “That's why we're here today — to do what we need to do to move forward. Bottom line, the Jamacha Boulevard improvements need to be completed.”

William Karstens, who lives in Spring Valley and rides his bicycle to work in Coronado several days a week, said he wants the project to either begin or have the barriers that sit in the bike lane removed.

Karstens and Reynolds said they have contacted the county and the developer asking them to finish the work or remove the barriers.

“You couldn't imagine this going on for seven years in Del Mar or La Jolla,” Reynolds said.

Williams said his company's plan has been to keep the barriers in place until the work is done.

“And we may be the last optimists on the planet, but we keep thinking we're going to be able to start this up again,” Williams said. “I think everybody wants to get it done.”

County officials said they're planning to begin work as soon as possible and that the barriers are needed. Drake said pulling them out could create other hazards and that the cost of removing then replacing them doesn't make sense.